For decades, the popular travel narrative has been that going on vacation is a
time to relax, be pampered and not feel guilty about sampling that extra
dessert. And companies across the tourism and hospitality sectors have obliged,
offering endless opportunities for travelers to self-indulge.
Now, the many repercussions of this over-indulgence are surfacing; and companies
are reversing course to rein in the excess previously encouraged. According to a
2018 study by the Waste and Resources Action
Program,
hotels make up nearly 10 percent of all commercial food waste. This is not only
a financial cost: Wasted food accounts for 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions, making it a significant environmental issue, too.
To address this problem, properties have adopted a wide variety of solutions in
individual accommodations and across global hotel brands — including investing
in technology and implementing
initiatives
to reduce food waste prior to and during meal production, at mealtime, and
before leftovers are sent to a landfill.
Proving luxury doesn’t have to be wasteful
In hotels, approximately 21 percent of food waste is due to spoilage: A
significant amount is wasted during handling and
transportation,
before it ever reaches a plate; and waste from extravagant
buffets
is its own concern.
Lavish buffet spreads featuring foods from around the globe may still be common
in many dining rooms; but that’s not what’s on the menu at Hotel
Belmar in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
As managing director Pedro
Belmar told Sustainable
Brands® (SB): “Food waste reduction is a natural expression of our
commitment to regenerative
hospitality —
but even more important than why we do it is how we achieve it.”
The property has an affiliation with Finca Madre
Tierra — the country’s first certified
carbon-neutral farm, which is managed by the hotel’s founder. This relationship
and on-site gardens enable the hotel to harvest seasonal produce, shade-grown
coffee, free-range eggs and dairy products from pasture-raised goats — all of
which minimize pre-production waste.
Hotel Belmar similarly repurposes leftovers. A small but delicious example
includes the ripe or surplus fruit that moves to the juice bar to become
housemade sorbet: “Nothing wasted, everything delicious,” Belmar said.
Hotel Belmar’s closed-loop system also absorbs food waste that’s no longer
edible. Every year, the Costa Rican property processes approximately 14 metric
tons of organic waste for composting. An additional five metric tons are sent to
Finca Madre Tierra as animal feed.
Tech & smart partnerships
In sustainability conversations, it’s often noted that it’s impossible to
minimize what isn’t
measured.
That’s certainly true with food waste in hotels, where over-ordering is the norm
to ensure demand is met. Companies including KITRO and
Positive Carbon have developed data-driven
technology to help companies conceptualize their food waste and make informed
decisions on inventory, procurement and menu planning. Such tools are used by
international hotel brands including Four Seasons, Hilton, Marriott
and Radisson Blu to drastically reduce edible waste, food costs and carbon
emissions all at once.
Another large-scale food waste-diversion option for properties is Too Good to
Go — a business-to-consumer marketplace for
surplus
food
through which hotels can pass near-expired food on to consumers at a reduced
price through a mobile app. Its partnerships now include hotel brands including
Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Accor, H World, Melia and NH Group.
According to Chris MacAulay, the
company’s VP of North America: “Hotels that prioritize waste diversion — many of
whom partner with Too Good to Go — achieve an average 21 percent decrease in
food waste by weight every year.”
Necessity – the mother of invention
The food supply chain offers many opportunities to address waste, from sourcing
to waste diversion; but supply chain complexity also surfaces other challenges
for hotels: Not every property can plant its own garden or afford in-kitchen
waste-reduction technology. Local ordinances may prohibit the distribution of
leftovers, or local partners supporting these efforts may not exist. In places
such as Aruba, waste-processing infrastructure at the scale of
mainland-connected destinations simply doesn’t exist; such limitations have led
to adaptation and, ultimately, innovation.
At Aruba’s Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, chefs
routinely repurpose leftover ingredients into garnishes, seasonings and other
creative dishes: Bread scraps become crispy croutons or bread puddings; leftover
fruits are turned into marmalades; flat champagne tops dishes as champagne foam;
and banana peels are transformed into a housemade banana syrup — a favorite
among both guests and staff.
“The syrup also features in our complimentary mocktail class, where visitors
learn how to prepare it and take the recipe home,” Nicolas
Nemalceff, Bucuti &
Tara’s food and beverage director, told SB.
Similarly, any discarded food at Bucuti & Tara is sent to local pig farmers;
occasionally, the resort’s owner and CEO takes some home to his rescue farm
animals, as well.
Other properties have established relationships with food banks, shelters and
similar distribution centers to ensure healthy, edible food gets into the hands
of those who need it most.
Inspiring more conscious travel habits
There is also a need to stand against travelers’ expectations that they can
order what they want whenever they want from anywhere in the world. Despite
concerns about changing the way food and dining experiences are presented at
hotels, this evolution is a chance to communicate with travelers about more
conscious consumption efforts in a compelling
way.
“One of our guiding principles is to inspire
change
— not just within our operations, but beyond them,” Belmar said. “Guests are
informed through multiple touchpoints: in the menus; through guided tours of our
gardens and composting facilities; and in one-on-one interactions with our
staff, who are proud stewards of our values. We hope that every detail offers a
glimpse into the cycle of care that defines our approach, inviting travelers to
be part of something meaningful.”
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JoAnna Haugen is a writer, speaker and solutions advocate who has worked in the travel and tourism industry for her entire career. She is also the founder of Rooted — a solutions platform at the intersection of sustainable tourism, social impact and storytelling. A returned US Peace Corps volunteer, international election observer and intrepid traveler, JoAnna helps tourism professionals decolonize travel and support sustainability using strategic communication skills.
Published May 27, 2025 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST